Sunday, 13 August 2017

PLUCKY PLOVERS

A ringed plover is having another go at nesting on the beach at East Mersea Point and hoping for more luck this time. Three eggs were found lying hidden amongst the shingle and shells just above the strandline on Friday 11th.

Don't know how long the ringed plover still has to sit on the eggs but hopefully the nest will remain intact, unless a high spring tide floods it, as happened with the last attempt at the Point back in late June.

Keeping the ringed plover company just a few metres away on the beach was this sanderling showing a mix of both the brown breeding plumage and a few developing grey feathers of the winter plumage.

Other birds seen on the walk to the Point on Friday evening were a wheatear, 25 linnets, sandwich tern flying out of the river, 3 little terns and 10 common terns. A pair of gadwall flew off the dyke and fifty house martins had been seen passing west over the park during the day.
The garden warbler was seen again in the hedge behind the park pond on Friday evening, feeding on elderberries. It was first watched feeding on rowan berries in the same hedge on Tuesday 8th.

Up to ten Mediterranean gulls have been feeding at low tide in recent evenings on the mudflats opposite the park on the 8th, 10th and 11th August.
Also on the mud on Thursday 10th were 200 black-tailed godwits, 50 avocets, 50 golden plover with 10 common terns and 3 little terns offshore. Two green sandpipers, two greenshank and a whimbrel passed over the park calling during the day.
A willow warbler was calling from the trees, yellow wagtail flew over and ten mistle thrushes were feeding on the rowans in the car park. Forty four little egrets were counted at the park pond by Andy Field on Thursday and 26 counted there on Saturday 12th.

Birds noted on Tuesday 8th at the park included willow warbler, 12 house martins, 10 swifts, 25 swallows, marsh harrier, wheatear, 10 meadow pipits, 20 linnets, 8 Mediterranean gulls, 10 ringed plovers, 25 avocets and 200 black-tailed godwits.


This common buzzard was one of a couple seen near a footpath to the west of Shop Lane on Monday 7th. Two marsh harriers were flying over Reeveshall and a young sparrowhawk was calling from Fishponds Wood.
At the park two young sparrowhawks were calling from the copse behind the park pond on Monday 7th.

At Maydays farm on Friday 11th a whinchat, willow warbler, 2 common sandpiper and two greenshank were seen by Martin Cock.

These two very tan-coloured adders were snuggled up together at the country park on Saturday 12th.

A red squirrel was reported in Bromans Lane on Saturday 12th by Lindsey Allen, some welcome news after the loss of one in this lane a week earlier.

A male gypsy moth trapped at the park on Friday 11th was the first record for the park and presumably an immigrant from the continent.

The impressive feathered appearance to the gypsy moth's antennae help it locate the pheromones given off by a female gypsy moth.

There was an impressive showing of at least 150 latticed heath moths in the trap at the park on Friday 11th. Maybe a small influx occurred that night to north-east Essex as a couple of other moth trappers in north-east Essex also reported unusually high counts near the coast.
Also noted among the 28 species were 10 white-points, coronet and copper underwing.

A hummingbird hawkmoth has been seen on the buddleia in the Cudmore Grove car park on 9th, 11th and 12th August. One was also seen in Andy Field's West Mersea garden on Friday 11th.
A painted lady was seen at the park on Friday 11th.

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